cody

Most holdouts start to get antsy around mid August. See Steven Jackson and Hines Ward. In Peters, Parker may have found someone willing to stay in it for the long haul. We may be looking at a situation where Parker will do something so damaging that the NFL and NFLPA decide to change the rules, again. http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stor...ewscolumn3.html

WGR did a web poll yesterday. 60% of the people think the Bills should bench Peters for the entire 2008 season.

We do not know what Parker will have Peters do. Peters may be willing to miss out on another 200K per week for a few weeks if he thinks it will get him 600K per week next year. Don't forget the 8 figure signing bonus. Parker may be an SOB who doesn't care who he pisses off on his quest to make $$$. But he's not dumb. I think at this point we should just sit back and watch how it plays out.

The relationship isn't so damaged that a few million won't fix it. yet

There was also a powerful emotional aspect of that game. A week earlier, Milloy was one of their leaders. Then he was on the field against them. Best decision Gregg Williams ever made.

The moral is: If you want people to believe your rumor, make your rumor believable.

Parker's reputation was made by pulling stuff like this. Wikipedia has a client list, almost half of the clients listed have been holdouts at some time durring his representation. All of them got new contracts. I really do not care for his methods but it is hard to argue with his sucess. Check out this article about Parker 11 years ago. http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stor...ewscolumn3.html It's not about holdouts, but it is pretty impresive. The NFL and the NFLPA had to change contract rules bacause of Parker. Parker has done this enough. He knows what he will do if the Bills won't negotiate.

I have a hard time believing that Dick Jauron would tell anyone that he would refuse to start Peters. Maybe some time with the second team would be helpful, given the time he's missed. Spreading the word that Peters will sit is probably not the best way to get Peters to report.

When was the last time the Bills picked up a player cut by another team prior to week 1? The only one I can think of was Lawyer Milloy. Last year they brought in some guys as injury replacements, but that was after week one. I think if the Bills play the 'vulture', it will be for the practice squad.

The real Jimmy Griffin would never ever say the Fins were better than the Bills. The Fins were the worst team in the NFL last year and the Bills were in the middle 3rd. The Bills did more to improve this off-season. It's not rose colored glasses. We don't know anything about the fins coaching and overall managment. Tony Sparano is a rookie. Their most talanted players are rookies. Parcells will not be taking the feild or making the calls on Sundays.

Maybe Jauron thought he needed some practice managing the clock

Evans does not have a deal yet. There have not even been rumors about a new deal for Crowell. While I'm sure Kelsey is one of the 1st guys into work every day, but I do not think he should be the 5th highest paid player on the team. At this point, Peters probably will not start on September 7. If Peters reports and then gets his deal I will ask, why couldn't that have been done in June? It's not like the Bills have been trying to comunicate. If you believe the reports, both sides stopped communicating.

Crowell is in the last year of his contract. He's at least as good as Kelsey. Evans' extention is taking longer than Schobel's did last year. I just look at where they spend money and wonder, what is the plan. Should Parrish really have the 7th highest cap number on this team? Should Kelsey have the 5th highest cap number? I don't even know how much $ they threw at Butler and Kyle Williams.

Why is it that the Bills seem to line up to give money to average players; Kelsay 5 mil, Josh Reed 2.9 mil, Roscoe Parrish 4.25 mil, Denney 3.1 mil, Fowler 3 mil Jason Jefferson made almost a million last year. And drag their feet with good players like Evans, Peters & Crowell.

No one has really answered the original question so I will try. I think this came up with the Farve saga. If Peters reports, the Bills have 24 hours to put him on the active roster or release him. Because he is already under contract, I do not think he needs to pass a physical before getting paid.

You are right. I know who I will blame if things go bad. If I'm not watching a Bills game this January, the Bills' front office will receive the worst typelashing of thier lives. But until then I shouldn't let one player get me down. GO BILLS!!!!

This will be 10 years without making the playoffs. Usually, in August, I am convinced the Bills have made the right moves and are going to end the drought. Peters’ absence has replaced that confidence with trepidation. I think the Bills need to start this year with wins. If we are 0-2 on September 15, I do not think the Bills will make the playoffs, with or without Peters. If they miss the playoffs, then it’s likely back to re-building. I’ll admit it. I am loosing my faith. I am glad that you and others still have it.

Ralph has always been more interested in the 'business' than a super bowl. He got lucky when he hired Polian. Aside from the AFL years and the team Polian built, the Bills have been mediocre. Ralph's legacy will be a team that wins almost as many games as it loses, but can turn a profit in a small market. Maybe the Bills should turn the seats in sections 132-135 around so we can watch Ralph and Russ teach the next generation how to run an NFL franchise.

If it is such a good business practice, why don't other teams follow it? What does Russ Brandon know that Robert Kraft doesn't?

The exact circumstances of every holdout are different. But most end the same way. I do not want to be different, I just want Peters playing on Sept 7.

Where is the line? Parker is looking for it. He has held out rookies, vets in the final years of thier contracts, franchise taged players, and vets with multiple years left on contracts. Feel proud that the Bills are being the only team in the NFL willing to stand up to Parker. Just remember, Patrick Kerney will be in Orchard Park in 12 days. And he's bringing his 72.5 career sacks with him.

Ralph has said many times that the team will not be sold while he's alive. Ralphs actions have proven, for better or worse, that he does not care what happens to this team when he's gone. He's not setting things up for the estate sale. Peters has nothing to do with the selling price of the team, but it may have a lot to do with a stuborn 89 year old man.

If 2008 is off the table, the Bills should talk to Peters about 2009. He may come in and play this year for the pitiful sum of 4 mil (if he meets incentives) if he signs a deal granting him a roster bonus of 10 mil on March 1st. There is a solution to this problem. Peters is to dumb to think of it. Parker is to arogant to look for it. Wilson is to stuborn to consider it.

I am repeating myself again, but at least 2 prior clients of Parker's who held out with 2 years left. Hester and Seymour. Both were rewarded with new contracts. The other agents probably think the holdouts are stupid because they put teams in tough situations making negotiations very adversarial. You back someone into a corner and they will try to fight their way out. I would much rather negotiate a deal when both sides are moving towards a goal that they feel will be mutually beneficial. The problem is, Parker has been very succesful with holdouts.

Parker's record speaks for itself. You look at Parker's client list, google '[insert player] & holdout' and you will find that almost 1/2 of them have held out in some capacity. Parker held out 3 veteran clients this year alone. Just in case anyone is keeping track of my opinions, I am not switching sides, I am just offering facts that people seem to have missed.